Islamabad (Web Desk): The Ministry of Defence on Friday issued an official notification confirming the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
The notification came a day after President Asif Ali Zardari signed off on the decision, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
A statement from the President House noted that President Zardari had approved Field Marshal Munir’s five-year term as both Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and CDF.
Syed Asim Munir, who was elevated to the rank of field marshal earlier this year, will now perform both roles simultaneously.
His promotion to field marshal — only the second in Pakistan’s history and the first after more than 60 years — followed Pakistan’s emphatic victory over India in the May conflict.
The creation of the CDF post and his assumption of the office mark a major shift in the country’s military leadership structure.
Meanwhile, the defence ministry also issued another notification extending the tenure of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu by two years.
The extension for the Pakistan Air Force chief will take effect after the ending of his current five-year term in March 2026.
The President, while approving both summaries, conveyed his best wishes to "best wishes to the COAS, concurrently the Chief of Defence Forces" concurrently the Chief of Defence Forces, according to a statement from the Presidency.
Just before his appointment was made public, COAS Munir spoke informally with journalists at Aiwan-e-Sadr, expressing optimism about the country’s direction.
“Everything is fine; it’s all in front of you,” Field Marshal Munir said, adding that “Things are moving towards improvement, and Pakistan will now soar to greater heights from here.”
The appointment of the new military chief comes after President Zardari approved the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy (Amendment) Bills 2025 on November 15, following their passage by parliament. These amendments extend Article 243 — which outlines the authority of a Field Marshal — to any General elevated to that rank.
The revised legislation also empowers the federal government to allow the Vice Chief of Army Staff or Deputy Chief of Army Staff to exercise COAS powers through written orders issued on the recommendation of the CDF.
It further stipulates that once the first notification for the dual post of COAS and CDF is released, the current army chief’s tenure will restart from the date of that notification.
The federal government will define the specific responsibilities of the CDF, including strengthening inter-service coordination, overseeing restructuring, and advancing multi-domain operational integration.
One of the most significant institutional changes in the amendments is the dissolution of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).
The role will now be replaced by the Commander of the National Strategic Command, who will be appointed for three years by the prime minister from among serving army generals, based on the recommendation of the COAS/CDF.
With the 27th Constitutional Amendment having formally abolished the CJCSC position, General (retd) Sahir Shamshad Mirza retired as the last officer to hold the post.
Field Marshal Asim Munir’s military profile
Field Marshal Munir’s military journey has been extensive. Commissioned into the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment in 1986 after completing the 17th Officers Training Course at Mangla, he has since held numerous key appointments.
His career has included roles as directing staff at the Command and Staff College in Quetta, brigade major of an infantry brigade in Kel, staff officer at the CGS Secretariat, and chief of staff of Mangla Corps.
He also served as Quartermaster General at General Headquarters.
COAS Munir has commanded his parent regiment, led an infantry brigade, and headed the Force Command Northern Areas in Gilgit.
He also served as director general at both Military Intelligence (MI) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). After his tenure at ISI, he went on to serve as Corps Commander Gujranwala and later returned to GHQ as Quartermaster General before becoming army chief.
Field Marshal Munir’s academic background includes studies at Japan’s Fuji School, Command and Staff College Quetta, Malaysian Armed Forces College, and the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, from where he holds an MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management.
Outside his professional responsibilities, he is an enthusiastic sportsman, passionate reader and traveller, and he is a Hafiz-e-Quran.